1.4 Processing and Storage Hardware

Troubleshooting

A process that combines knowledge, experience, and intuition to quickly solve a variety of problems.

Optical Drive

A storage device that uses light instead of magnetism to store information. This include CD-ROM, DVD, and Blu-ray devices.

External Hard Disk Drives

An HDD that can be connected as a peripheral to a computer.

Graphics Processing Unit GPU

An additional computer processor that provides graphics processing, providing better performance by relieving the CPU of this duty.

BIOS

Basic Input Output System

Flash Storage

A compact, portable storage device that uses special memory chips to store data. Those devices can be removed from a power source and its contents will remain intact.

Network Interface Card NIC

A component, sometimes built into and sometimes plugged into the motherboard, that provides wired or wireless or both network connectivity.

Solid State Devices SSD

A device with similar capacity to an HDD that uses flash storage instead of magnetic disks to store data. It is much faster and more durable than hard disk drives but usually are more expensive.

x86 Processors

A family of processors manufactured by Intl and AMD that use a common instruction set, or list of commands that the processor can execute.

Advanced RISC Machines ARM Processors

A family of processors most often used in smartphones due to its lower power requirements. This is accomplished by reducing the processors' instruction set.

Motherboard

A large, flat computer component that connects the important components of the computer, such as the CPU, RAM, and the BIOS chip. It also has power and other communications connections.

Standardized troubleshooting model

Concretely identify the source of a problem before you start trying to fix things.

Identifying problem steps

Gather information, Duplicate or reproduce the problem if possible, Question users, Identify symptoms, Determine if anything has changed, Approach multiple problems individually.

Cooling System

Heat sinks and fans that keep computer components, especially the CPU, from overheating.

The 8 steps of troubleshooting methodology

Identify the problem, Research knowledge base /Internet if applicable, Establish a theory of probable cause, Test the theory to determine the cause, Establish a plan of action, Implement the solutions or escalate if necessary, Verify full system functionality, Document findings.

Power Supply

The component of a computer that supplies the right amount and form of electricity to the motherboard and other computer components.

Random Access Memory RAM

The main memory of a computer that can be quickly accessed by the CPU and where the computer stores data and instructions that it is actively using.

Hard Disk Drive HDD

The most common type of long-term storage that uses thick, magnetic disks encased in a protective housing to store data.

Central Processing Unit CPU

The most important part of any modern computer system that controls the other parts of the computer.

Shotgun troubleshooting

Trying to implement fixes before even know what the problem is.